Croque Madame Brioche Bites
A cross between bread pudding and muffins, these cute little bites enriched with ham and Gruyère cheese are inspired by the classic French sandwich, the croque madame. They make a fun addition to a brunch and a great accompaniment to soups and salads for lunch or dinner. You want the brioche to be dry enough to fully absorb the liquid, so, if possible, tear your brioche into pieces and leave them, spread on a baking sheet, at room temperature overnight before making the dish. If your brioche is fresh, bake the pieces in the oven at 375°F (190°C) until very lightly toasted, about 10 minutes, then let cool before proceeding with the recipe as directed.
Looking for more culinary inspiration? Check out our Inspired by France page with tools and recipes to help you bring a taste of France to your home kitchen.
Ingredients
- 12 thin slices ham, patted dry
- 6 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups (12 fl. oz./375 ml) half-and-half
- 2 cups (8 oz./250 g) grated Gruyère cheese
- 1/4 cup (2 oz./60 g) Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 12 oz. (375 g) brioche, torn into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces (about 6 heaping cups), dried out or lightly toasted
- Chopped fresh chives for garnish
Directions
Position a rack in the upper third of an oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C). Lightly coat 12 standard muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
Line each prepared muffin cup with a slice of ham, folding and tucking it as needed to fit and leaving about 1/4 inch (6 mm) sticking out above the rim of the cup. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, cheese, mustard, 4 tsp. salt and 2 tsp. pepper. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the brioche. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Divide the brioche mixture evenly among the ham-lined muffin cups. Bake until the tops are deeply golden and crusty, 15 to 18 minutes.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool slightly. Top the brioche bites with a few grindings of pepper, garnish with chives and serve immediately. Makes 12.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen